This painting of a boy and its pendant of a girl depict Savoyards, natives of the region bordering France in northern Italy, and familiar figures throughout France in the eighteenth century as entertainers. The boy shows us a coin, possibly a payment to view his magic lantern peep show. While images of such charming, exotic figures were based in reality, Fragonard developed the theme into lively fantasy portraits, which were so well received that he painted several versions.

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